The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-11-13
The Coming Struggle in Central Africa.

which Gen. GORDON waged against the Arab
slavers In the Soudan, Is about to begin In the
Congo independent State against tho slave
dealers from Zanzibar. For third OF a
century they have been extending their
power and possessions, and 1t is by no means
certain that they can for many years be
placed under subsection In the great terri
tory where they have been absolute masters.
The contest Is to begin I'm the Stanley Falls
district on the Congo, where the Arabs have
nearest approached the stations Of the Congo
State, and it may long be confined there.
How strongly these slave merchants are In
trenched ut Stanley Falls may be inferred
from the fact mentioned by Major BARTTE-
LOT that, though TIPpu lib found there
when he returned four Thousand Of his fol-
lowers, Arabs, Zanzibaris, and armed slaves,
he distrusts his ability to enforce his order
prohibiting slave raids against the united OPP
position OF the other Arab merchants. He
has therefore called upon the Congo State
for reGnforcements, and force Of trained
Bangala soldiers, commanded by two white
officers, has been detailed for his assistance.
1t was in 1852 that these slavers, who are
called Arabs, though strictly speaking most
of them are half castles from Zanzibar and
the coast, settled in Unyanyembe, some
three hundred miles west Of the Indian
Ocean. There BURTON found them six years
later in great prosperity, living in large
houses surrounded by extensive gardens,
their armies Of slave and ivory hunters fol-
lowing many routes to the great lakes and
returning richly laden, while other caravans
kept them we'll supplied with merchandise,
comforts, and luxuries from the coast. 1t was
not long before they established another great
trading entrep6t at Ujiji on Lake Tan
ganyika. Vast sources Of ivory and slaves
still further west tempted them onward, but
it was not until about twenty years ago
that large numbers Of them crossed fertile
AIanyema, whose beauties have been
sounded by LIVINGSTONE and STANLEY, and
reached Nyangwe on the Upper Congo.
LIVINGSTONE in 1869 entered this new field
west Of Tanganyika among the foremost Of
these hordes OF Ujljl traders whose star of
empire had in a few years taken its way
five hundred miles westward. With Ny
angwe as the new centre Of their enterprises,
the ramifications of their trade began to ex-
tend in all directions; but at no time has their
power SO rapidly grown or their influence
and wealth so greatly augmented as since
the day they followed in the wake Of STAN
LEY who plotted the way down the Congo.
Wherever they have gone these invaders
have wrought important changes. They have
nearly or quite ruined every native tribe
they have met, except those that have been
their allies in slave hunting. Many hun
dreds Of enslaved men have been trained as
their soldiers and slave stealers. While usu-
ally they treat their captives with kindness,
horrible scenes OF butchery and suffering
attend their forays for the capture of slaves.
STANLEY estimated that for every captive
the Arabs make. from two to six bleeding
bodies are left among the ashes Of their huts.
The large native kingdom Of Urua, which
DR.. WOLF nearly reached in his little steamer,
has lost probably one-half of It's population
through the slave raiders. DIR. LIVINGSTONE,
who was helpless witness Of the massacre
OF several hundred natives by the slave
traders at Nyangwe, said that their business
was not a trade, but series OF murders.
When STANLEY descended the river, the |
three hundred miles between Nyangwe and |
Stanley Falls teemed with large population.
Those river banks are now destitute Of ma
tive inhabitants. The only white men who |
has traversed that part Of the river since
STANLEY are Lieut.. GLEERUP and DR.. LEM. |
who say the tribes have disappeared, having
either been enslaved, killed, or driven back |
into the country. But the Arabs have not |
left these river banks In utter desolation. |
Here and there between Nyangwe and STAN
ley Falls they have planted flourishing sta
tons, surrounded by large rice and banana
plantations titled by slaves. Nyangwe, whose
hills in LIvINGsTONE's day were crowned by
a few score OF matched huts, is now town
of 10000 inhabitants. Kasongo, TIPPU Tbs
town, which. when CAMERON saw it was an
insignificant place, now has stone houses,
well made streets, and 5000 population. In
the wilds Of Manyema where the explorers
found only a deeply debased and cannibal
tribe, the Arabs have now line of five es-
Establishments between Nyangwe and Tan
ganyika, where hundreds OF female slaves
are trained to labor, and are then distributed
east and west among the stations and plan
tations OF their Zanzibar masters.
The Arabs have introduced cattle and
sheep by thousands throughout all this re-
gion. Lieut.. GLEERuP found from two to
three caravans week passing back and
forth between Nyangwe, Unyanyembe, and
the Indian Ocean, laden one way with
rior, and the other with ivory and slaves.
The slaves are distributed among various
tribes before they reach the sea.
These Arabs have treated kindly most OF the
whites they have met because they have not
feared them. LIVINGSTONE said however,
that they treated him as spy. Confident
Of their ability to do as they please, they
have carried on their slave stealing under
the very shadow of the white station at
Stanley Falls. Capt. DEANE says that when
he took charge of that station he found the
Arabs, with their slaves tied neck and neck,
around the place as though they
owned it. 1t is only when the whites have
opposed them. or when they have been sus-
picious that European influences would To
detrimental to their interests that they have
become avowed enemies OF the northern
aces. When Capt. DEANE In August, last
year, told the Arabs at Stanley Falls that
hey must give up burning villages and